This invention relates to multiple-beam phased-array antennae, and more particularly, to such antennae of the active type in which an amplifier is provided for each radiating element within the array. The invention is directed to the problem of intermodulation product beams which are characteristic of such antennae.
Active, phase-array antennae are well known in the art and are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,618,097 and 3,662,385. A simplified block diagram of certain essential components of such a phased-array antenna is shown in FIG. 1. The control circuit 10 provides at its output line 12 a carrier wave modulated with information. By controlling the time at which the modulated carrier arrives at each radiating element 14, the direction in which the signal is transmitted can be controlled. The direction of the transmitted beam will be primarily a function of the spacing interval between adjacent elements 14 and the phase difference between the signals present at consecutive radiating elements. For example, if the inter-element spacings and phase difference are selected to that the signals radiated from each element are in phase at points A-E, the beam will be transmitted in the direction of the normal to the line A-E. Thus, the beam transmitting direction will form an angle .alpha. with respect to the normal 16 to the radiating element array. If the phase difference between successive radiating elements is slightly decreased, the angle .alpha. will decrease and the beam direction will rotate counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 1.
The phase shift between consecutive radiating elements is accomplished, in part, by the longer signal path which the signal on line 12 must traverse in order to arrive at each element 14. However, the required additional control is typically provided by a plurality of phase shifters 18 which are controlled by the control circuit 10 in order to accomplish beam steering.
Although FIG. 1 illustrates only a single row of five radiating elements, it should be easily appreciated that any number of radiating elements 14 are possible. Further, although FIG. 1 illustrates only a single row of elements which provide only a single degree of beam steering capability, phased-array antennae typically comprise a plurality of such rows with a controllable phase shift between consecutive rows in order to provide two degrees of beam steering capability. It is also typical to utilize a single phased-array antenna to transmit a plurality of beams having different carrier wave frequencies.
In order to provide the required power output at each radiating element, amplifiers 20 are included in the phased-array. The amplifiers 20 are generally operated in a nonlinear mode. As is well known in the art, a nonlinear amplifier receiving signals of two different frequencies will provide outputs at each of those two frequencies as well as intermodulation product outputs at the sum and difference frequencies of those two signals. In an active phased-array antenna having multiple beams, a plurality of intermodulation product signals are present at each of the radiating elements 14. These intermodulation products will result in intermodulation beams which may interfere with the desired beams. This is a significant problem in active phased-array multiple-beam antennae.
There are two known techniques for alleviating the problem of intermodulation products in array antennae. One, of course, is to operate the amplifiers 20 in a linear mode so that intermodulation products are not generated, or are at least held to a tolerable level. This solution is unacceptable because linear amplifiers have a low DC-to-RF efficiency which will significantly hinder the operation of the array.
A second known technique is a special method of frequency staggering known as Babcock spacing, disclosed in an article, "Intermodulation Interference in Radio Systems", by W. C. Babcock, Bell Systems Technical Journal, January 1953. According to the Babcock technique, the carrier waves are unequally spaced in frequency so that all intermodulation products can be frequency-domain filtered. The obvious disadvantage of such a technique is that it results in an undesired spreading of the frequency band occupied by the multiple beams and, consequently, an inefficient use of the available frequency spectrum.
There is a need, then, for a more efficient technique for eliminating troublesome intermodulation products from active phased-array multiple-beam antennae.